Ricochet's NXT North American Title and Pete Dunne's WWE United Kingdom Title are on the line in a historic Champion vs. Champion Match. Video courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
NXT’s first-ever Champion vs. Champion Match between NXT North American titleholder Ricochet and WWE U.K. titleholder Pete Dunne lived up to its historic billing and then some, resulting in one of the most unbelievable matches ever contested at Full Sail Live. The only thing missing was a winner, a grave injustice for which the NXT Universe has Undisputed ERA to blame.
For more than 20 minutes, The One and Only and The BruiserWeight fought tooth and nail in the goal of becoming a dual champion. The mesmerizing bout moved from the mat (where Dunne would be expected to have the edge) to the air (Ricochet’s domain), but neither Superstar gave an inch. The one-time tag team partners showed no mercy as they exchanged vicious strikes throughout the match, whether it was Dunne clobbering Ricochet with forearm smashes or Ricochet raining down an axe kick on the U.K. Champion’s head.
Late in the match, after Dunne countered a springboard 450 Splash by locking Ricochet into a triangle hold, The One and Only reversed the submission into a ring-shaking powerbomb. Dunne, however, kept hold of Ricochet’s arm and cranked it into a keylock (bending Ricochet’s fingers for added leverage and to inflict further pain). Ricochet again countered, deadlifting Dunne into a brainbuster.
With their gas tanks depleted, Ricochet and Dunne were sitting ducks for what came next. Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong ran in and ambushed both champions, causing the match to end abruptly. War Raiders, who are on the hunt for O’Reilly & Strong’s NXT Tag Team Titles, ran off the unruly interlopers, but the damage had already been done.
We might never know who would have prevailed had Undisputed ERA not interjected themselves into the match, but there’s no denying that NXT’s first Champion vs. Champion Match was nothing short of magical.